Month: March 2015

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

John 9: 3

The Creator & the Healer

After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” He told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

John 9: 6-7

In the above passage we see that Christ cured a man who was blind. However Jesus used a method of healing that would have in the eyes of the world been strange and foolish.

Jesus did not need to use a physical material to bring healing. All He needed to do was, to speak the word and His word was powerful enough to bring sight to a blind man. However here we see Jesus as the Creator, whose act was the same as that of God who created man from the dust of the earth, in the garden of Eden.

Here Jesus created a pair of brand new eyes in this blind man by using the same supernatural method. All this did not happen randomly. This man’s handicap was not an accident but was part of God’s plan for his life. He was born visually impaired so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Lesson for us today is, God’s ways are higher than our ways. Let us not limit God to what He is able to do. He is a supernatural Creator who is the same yesterday today and forever. what appears foolish to the eyes of the world might be a method used by God to bring glory to His name.

Let’s have an open mind to receive God and allow Him to work in our lives the way He wants to, so that through our lives He will be glorified.

Prayer

Dear Lord, today I bow before Your greatness and power. You are truly the Creator, the One who is the same yesterday today and forever. May Your power open every blindness and make me see Your purpose in me.

Amen

Theo & Manju

“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-16

A true Disciple

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

You may have wondered what it takes to be a true disciple. The Lord Jesus makes crystal clear of what is needed for one to be truly His disciple. Jesus said “Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14

On the same note, the life of Steven is a great example of true love. He exercised love even amidst a crowd of people who hated him and were furiously gnashing their teeth and yelling at the top of their voices against him. Instead of hatred towards those who stoned him, he responded with great love in pleading with the Lord for his enemies saying; “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

We live amidst a world of hatred, enmity and full of malice. So contrary is the nature of God to the worldly nature. He is merciful and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

(Psalm 103: 8-9)

The Lord is calling us to take the stand that Steven took to be a disciple of Jesus. We will no doubt be accused for doing good but be quick to forgive and be slow to get angry and leave the rest to the Lord and we will truly be a disciple of Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Lord I thank you this morning for Your Spirit of Truth which indwells in me. Let Him guide me in the truth so that I may be able to love my neighbor as myself. Amen

Theo & Manju

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

John 12:32

Attraction

   Two by two they came into the boat, representing every living thing that breathes. Genesis 7:15

When Noah was asked to build an Arc, he believed in the Lord and acted on His word. He also followed God’s instructions carefully and the Arc was built to the specification given by the Lord.

This is a word to all people in ministry and to those who want to begin a ministry. Firstly we have to hear from the Lord and know what He wants done through us. Secondly we must build the Arc or the ministry according to the specification that God gives us.

Similar to what happened to Noah, during the time our ministry is built up, we will always have trials and there will be people who will laugh and ridicule us. However, our desire and purpose must be to fulfil His call.

Genesis 7: 5 says that, ‘Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.’ This brought about a supernatural result. Pairs of animals, birds and all kind of creatures   came to Noah and entered the Ark. They not only came on their own, they also came in pairs so they will be able to reproduce again and continue to fill the earth according to God’s purpose.

This is the result of hearing God and obeying Him in totality.  Noah did not have to struggle or strive to bring the animals into the Arc. Likewise, the Lord will attract the people to come into the ministry that is done according to His purpose and directions.

Lesson for us today is to keep building with patience and endurance and the Lord will bring the fruit at the right time.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching us each day through Your word and strengthening us. Give us a clear focus, patience and endurance to see the fruit that is to come so that the glory will be for You. Amen

Theo & Manju

Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.” ~ Andrew Murray

 

Great Faith

  When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” ¹⁰ Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. Luke 7:9-10

In the above verses we see that Jesus was amazed at the faith of the centurion.  He had authority over many and when he spoke the word, people obeyed. The centurion was a man who understood authority and exercised it. Therefore he related that to Jesus and the authority that He had as the Creator over all mankind.  As a result, the centurion wanted Jesus to simply speak the word of healing, believing that the authority and the power that was in His word was more than sufficient to heal his highly valued servant, who was sick and about to die.

Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith.  The lesson for us this morning is to understand that He has full control of our lives and  if we choose to give it over to Him believing in the power in His word amazing things will happen in our lives too.

Let us give over every situation of trial, anxiety and stress to Jesus as He is able to speak His word and bring a miraculous change. As He was amazed at the centurion’s faith two thousand years ago, may each one of us please God with our faith by steadfastly holding onto every promise given to us from His word.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I give you full control of all my choices, and let me be amazed at what you do in my life Amen

Theo & Manju

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.   Numbers 12:1-2

The heart of a humble servant

  At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you. So the three of them went out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, ⁶ he said, “Listen to my words: When there is a prophet among you  I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams  But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.   Numbers 12:4-7

Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses and the Lord hears their murmuring and He is greatly displeased because Moses had an excellent relationship with the Lord.

The Lord having stood at the meeting of the temple tells Miriam and Aaron of the intimate relationship that Moses has with Him to the extent of speaking to Him face to face.  God questions them as to why they would speak against someone who had walked so close to Him.

After the Lord had spoken to the three of them the cloud lifted and Miriam was found to be leprous.

We see that the heart of Moses was full of grief for his beloved sister and not anger as Moses pleads with the Lord to heal her and the people. The people of Israel did not move from Hazeroth until she was healed.

Our lesson for today is that we will always have people talk against us and we cannot stop that; but our duty is to love them as Moses loved Miriam and pray for their spiritual healing.

Prayer

Dear Lord I thank you for this day and may your grace give me the strength to bless those who curse me, pray for those who mistreat me Amen

Theo & Manju

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” ¹⁰ Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” ¹¹ On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified?   

1Samuel 17:8-11

Ridicule

 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴ “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals.  1 Samuel 17: 43-44

When we are called to carry-out and complete a task, we come across challenges along the way. These could be in the form of words of ridicule which can affect our confidence and hinder our effectiveness in completing the God given task. Would we give into these threats which are aimed to divert our attention from what God has planned for our lives?

We can take a short lesson from David this morning and encourage ourselves. Although   Saul’s entire army was terrified as the enemy cried out angry and insulting words at the camp, it took just one ‘ruddy-faced boy’ to prove that the Lord rescues His people.

Is there a Goliath in your life ridiculing you and portraying himself to be powerful?  Take a lesson from David to overcome the tactics of the enemy and  live a victorious life;  as the Lord will conquer you enemies for you.

Prayer

Dear Lord I thank you for this day. Thank You for the continuous assurance that You give me that You have plans to proper me and not to harm me. Therefore I trust in Your word rather than to listen to the schemes of the evil one. Amen

Theo & Manju

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?   

Psalm 28:1

He is our Strength

When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.  Daniel 6:14

On Friday, we studied about making decisions and today we see that King Darius had made a an impulsive decision which cost him, his most favoured leader to be thrown into the den of lions

The story goes on to say that the king in all his authority tried his level best to repel the decree that he signed but he could not withdraw the judgement that he himself has established.

This can happen in our lives too. When we make incorrect decisions out of impulsiveness, it can lead us into situations that bring unrest and turmoil into our lives that we may not be able to revert even if we try with all our power and strength. Though the King did not know the living God of Daniel, relied on his own strength, Daniel’s exemplary life witnessed to him the power of God.

King Darius was able to see the Living God in Daniel life and therefore he was able to trust ‘ The God of Daniel’ even though he did not know Him.

Can we also live lives like Daniel so that others could see Jesus in us?

Prayer

Dear Lord I thank you for this day, Let my life reflect  Your character so that others may see Jesus in me and come to know the power of living a life in total reliance in You. Amen

Theo & Manju